Aspiring aviators know that getting an instrument rating is key to advancing their flying skills. Instrument flight training prepares pilots to safely navigate through poor visibility conditions where visual cues are unreliable, such as heavy clouds, rain, or fog. A vital tool in achieving this proficiency is the view-limiting device called “foggles.” These unique glasses play a crucial role in training pilots to rely on their instruments, rather than their visual surroundings, to guide the aircraft accurately and safely.
What Are Foggles?
Foggles are specially designed, partially opaque glasses that restrict a pilot’s vision to simulate the experience of flying in low-visibility conditions. By blocking out external visual references, they force the wearer to rely solely on the aircraft’s instruments. This is essential for instrument flight training because it helps pilots practice the art of interpreting and trusting their panel gauges under controlled settings.
Foggles are typically manufactured with lenses that are opaque around the periphery and only transparent at the bottom center, where the pilot can still see the cockpit instruments. Unlike fully opaque devices, foggles allow pilots to focus on necessary flight information without losing awareness of what’s in front of them.
Why Are Foggles Essential for Instrument Training?
1. Developing Instrument Dependence: Visual references are often unreliable in low-visibility conditions, such as in clouds or dense fog. Foggles help pilots get comfortable with interpreting their instruments as their primary source of navigation. This dependency is necessary for accurate control over the aircraft’s altitude, heading, and speed, ensuring safer flights.
2. Building Muscle Memory and Situational Awareness: In emergencies, pilots need to instinctively trust their instruments. Training with foggles helps them build a mental roadmap and muscle memory to quickly read instruments and react accordingly, even in stressful situations.
3. Enhancing Safety: Instrument proficiency is critical for safety, as loss of visibility can lead to spatial disorientation, which is a leading cause of accidents among VFR (Visual Flight Rules) pilots. By training with foggles, pilots learn to avoid this disorientation by sticking to instrument-based flying.
4. Meeting FAA Requirements: For pilots pursuing their instrument rating, the FAA mandates a certain number of training hours under simulated instrument conditions. Foggles allow for these conditions without requiring full immersion in clouds or other risky low-visibility environments.
5. Improving Cross-Training for Helicopter and Fixed-Wing Pilots: For pilots who transition between different aircraft types, such as helicopter pilots moving to fixed-wing aviation, foggles ensure a consistent method of training across platforms. They are especially beneficial for helicopter pilots, who often rely heavily on visual cues and may need additional practice adapting to a solely instrument-based orientation.
How to Use Foggles Effectively in Training
Effective use of foggles requires careful instruction from a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) who is trained in instrument navigation. Here are some best practices for incorporating foggles into flight training:
– Practice with a Plan: Pre-briefing each training session ensures that both the instructor and student pilot are aligned on the learning objectives, such as specific maneuvers or navigation tasks.
– Simulate Emergencies: Foggles are ideal for simulating emergencies like unexpected IMC (Instrument Meteorological Conditions) entries. By practicing these scenarios, pilots gain confidence in handling sudden losses of visual reference.
– Cross-Check Instruments Regularly: One of the key lessons in instrument training is learning to cross-check instruments frequently. Foggles force pilots to read and respond to the primary flight display and backup instruments, honing this crucial skill.
– Stay Consistent: Instrument flight training is cumulative. Using foggles consistently builds a foundation of skills that are essential for successful instrument certification and real-world flying.
Options for Purchasing Foggles
- MyPilotStore.com: Offers Foggles IFR Training Glasses in clear or yellow. Reviews indicate they can be worn over prescription glasses, offer a more realistic experience than a hood, and are easy to put on and take off. However, some users find they allow too much peripheral vision and can be blinding when flying into the sun.
- Pilot Stuff Online: Sells Foggles IFR Training Hood. The website description indicates these foggles are designed to meet IFR certification requirements and feature frosted polycarbonate lenses for a partially blocked field of vision.
- DIY Option: Several reviewers suggest creating DIY foggles using inexpensive safety glasses and duct tape or sandpaper.
- Other Options: While not specifically named, the sources mention other options like JeppShades IFR Hood, ASA Overcaster Clip on IFR Training Hood, and ToddLauri IFR Training Glasses.
- ICARUS Device: The article in Vertical Mag discusses the ICARUS device, a next-generation view-limiting device utilizing polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) technology. It transitions from clear to opaque with a switch, simulating entry into IMC more realistically than traditional devices. However, this device may not be commercially available yet.
When choosing foggles, consider factors like comfort, ease of use, and how effectively they restrict peripheral vision. Reading reviews from other pilots can offer valuable insights into the pros and cons of different options.
Foggles are more than just a training accessory—they are a crucial tool in preparing pilots for real-world flying conditions that often require a keen understanding of and reliance on instruments. For those training at The BreakTurn Academy, foggles provide an essential experience that boosts confidence, enhances skills, and ensures compliance with FAA requirements.
Works Cited
- “Foggles IFR Training Glasses – Clear – MyPilotStore.com.” MyPilotStore.com, www.mypilotstore.com/foggles-ifr-training-glasses-clear.html. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
- “Foggles IFR Training Hood.” Pilot Stuff Online, www.pilotstuffonline.com/foggles-ifr-training-hood.html. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
- Head, Elan. “Next-Generation Foggles.” Vertical Mag, 21 Dec. 2015, www.verticalmag.com/features/next-generation-foggles/. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
- “View-limiting Device.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Feb. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/View-limiting_device. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.